Stats & Info: Shaun Ellils

AP Photo/Brian BlancoTom Brady needs 4 completions to become the 15th player in NFL history with 3,000 for his career.

The 2011 edition of ESPN’s Monday Night Football kicks off tonight from South Florida as the Miami Dolphins host the New England Patriots (ESPN, 7 ET). These teams met on MNF in Week 4 last season, a 40-14 Patriots win that saw New England become the first team in NFL history to score a TD on a kickoff return, blocked FG return and INT return in the same game.

For Miami, this game will be the Dolphins' 77th appearance on Monday Night Football, the most of any team. Miami is 40-36 all-time on MNF, the most losses by any franchise and the second-most wins behind the Dallas Cowboys (42).

This is just the second time in franchise history that Miami has started its season at home on Monday Night Football. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, back in 1975, the Oakland Raiders beat the Dolphins, 31-21, in a matchup of future-Hall-of-Fame head coaches, John Madden besting Don Shula (remarkably, quarterbacks Ken Stabler and Bob Griese combined for no touchdown passes and seven interceptions!).

The Dolphins are 9-13 against the Patriots under Bill Belichick, but they have won six of the 11 meetings in Miami.

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